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jann · Dec 22, 2004, 12:05 AM

I have a 1989 Mazda626. After not driving it for a few days, I drove about 1.5 miles, stopped and shopped for about 10 minutes. When I tried to start my car, the engine would not "turn over." It made a noise (more than a click), so the battery was not dead. I tried about 5 times, then I left the car alone for about 20-30 minutes. It still did not want to start, but I tried depressing the gas petal and letting off real quick, and it finally started.

I drove to my mechanic's shop and he had me turn the engine on and off about 5 times in a row. Everything went well.

A friend said that the alternator may be the problem. So I am wondering if there is a test to check this. I do not want to get caught away from home with a car problem.

Yesterday was an unexpectedly cold day where I live: I think the high was around 31 degrees. So the rapid and significant temperature drop may have played a role. My mechanic said lots of people were having trouble with their cars.

Besides the alternator, are there other problems that may have caused these symptoms? Any suggestions about what I should do next will be appreciated.

BTW, last week I had my mechanic change the oil, fuel filter, PCV value, check all the fluids, and get some corrosion off the battery.

urmod4u · Dec 22, 2004, 03:01 AM

When your battery is not discharged, the alternator is not the culprit.
Has this car a carburator?

jann · Dec 22, 2004, 06:00 AM

If I remember correctly, this car does not have a carburator. I think it's fuel injected, if that helps.

Nice to know that when the battery is not discharged, the alternator is not the culprit.

By the way, I don't completely understand this since I had a friend tell me yesterday that the alternator on his car died when he was driving. So, did his battery become discharged while he was driving and then the alternator died, too? He is not too knowledgeable about cars, so he could be incorrect about what was wrong, but I think a replacement alternator cured his problem. He mentioned that they had to use jumper cables to start his car so he could take it to a mechanic, who replaced the alternator.

urmod4u · Dec 22, 2004, 07:26 AM

When the alternator dies, the battery is not being charged anymore. Then all electrical power comes from the battery, until it is discharged.
About the starting problems: when the engine is hot, the carburator dries up (when the engine is not running), and you will have to start during 5 to 10 seconds to fill it up with fuel again. The (automatic) choke can be troublesome too (I've seen several cars where the valve is stuck).
However, this should not happen with an injection engine. Can you verify whether you do or don't have a carburator?

jann · Dec 22, 2004, 08:09 AM

All Mazda 6262s have fuel injection, absolutely no carburators.

urmod4u · Dec 22, 2004, 08:26 AM

Then I'd check out the ignition system.

jann · Dec 22, 2004, 09:41 AM

Appreciate your help.

labman · Dec 22, 2004, 12:04 PM

If a car fails to crank over, it has nothing to do with the ignition, carburetor, or fuel injection. The battery is discharged, the starter motor is bad, or there are bad connections between. When you turn the key to the start position, it energizes a coil called the solenoid that connects the battery to the starter. It may also shift the starter into gear. If the battery is weak, it may have enough power to work the solenoid, but not turn the starter. It may also turn the starter without the starter being engaged to the engine. The solenoid may also chatter instead of staying engaged. All of those parts sometimes get into a gray zone where they work one time and not the next. If the battery is good, the headlight and horn should work. Follow the fat wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the solenoid. It may be on the fender or down on the starter. Remove the negative terminal from the battery. Then remove the cable from the solenoid. Clean it and put it back. The solenoid will have another heavy contact. Remove it, clean and replace. Also take the other end of the negative cable lose from the engine or body and clean it and replace. Once everything is cleaned up and replaced, put the negative cable back on the battery. If you short from one of the other cables with a wrench or something to the body or engine with the negative cable attached, you will get a big spark and may damaged something including you.

If cleaning up all the connections doesn't fix the problem, it is something else. If the engine will not crank with the key, but does if you carefully short the 2 large connectors on the solenoid to each other, the solenoid is bad.

If the battery and alternator are working, the battery should show about 12 volts with the engine running, and about 14 with the engine running either on a voltmeter on the car, or an external one.

Try the above and post back with the results. Maybe from there, I can help you more. Give me more details on how the car is wired up.

urmod4u · Dec 22, 2004, 04:26 PM

Labman,
He said that the battery is OK. Of course, the question is: what does he mean by "not turn over".
After all, the battery *could* be dead. Just watch the lamps on the dashboard while starting. When they go very dim, the battery is dead or is poorly connected. Or discharged, if the alternator is defective. The 12/14 volt test should point tot that - as you explained.
If they don't go dim, it's, as you said, poor connections to- or a defective start motor or start relay.